Sports

Analyst Claims Ronaldo Influenced Al-Nassr's Signing of Samu Costa After Al-Ain Rout

By GOAL

Al-Nassr suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to the UAE's Al-Ain in their opening match of the AFC Champions League Elite, a result that has triggered strong criticism of Australian coach Ange Postecoglou and his squad. Former Al-Nassr player Hussein Abdulghani described the performance as disastrous, questioning why Postecoglou persisted with his tactical approach from the start of the match, especially given the team's apparent lack of preparation to face a strong opponent like Al-Ain. Speaking on the program 'Nadina,' Abdulghani also criticized the club's signing of Portuguese midfielder Samu Costa, stating that he cannot be compared to former Al-Nassr player Marcelo Brozovic and calling the deal a failure. Abdulghani went further, suggesting that captain Cristiano Ronaldo played a role in Costa's signing. 'I believe Ronaldo is the one who chose this player in consultation with the sporting management,' he said, adding that he did not understand the club's apparent preference for signing players of Portuguese nationality. Abdulghani's criticism extended to the team's overall performance against Al-Ain, saying Al-Nassr lacked nearly everything needed to compete, including a solid defensive structure, which allowed Al-Ain to exploit gaps effectively. He warned that the club could face difficult times ahead unless the issues exposed in this match are addressed during the current international break. Abdulghani called for a significant reassessment of the squad and tactics during this period, arguing that the heavy defeat revealed deeper problems at Al-Nassr, both in terms of coaching decisions and player recruitment.